UN experts have warned that the arrest and detention of renowned Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez has a chilling effect on civil society, rights activists and journalists in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. According to Kashmir Media Service, the experts Aua Baldé (Chair-Rapporteur), Gabriella Citroni (Vice-Chair), Gra?yna Baranowska, Luciano Hazan, Angkhana Neelapaijit, Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances;  Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism and Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions on completion of one year of Khurram Parvez's illegal detention reiterated their call for his immediate and unconditional release by the Indian government.

They said that they were dismayed at the continued deprivation of liberty of Parvez, in what was increasingly proving to be an act of retaliation against a human rights defender for his tireless work documenting and reporting serious human rights violations, including enforced disappearances and unlawful killings in IIOJK. Khurram Parvez was arrested on terrorism and other charges on 22 November 2021. He was produced before a court in Delhi on 30 November and 4 December 2021, which decided to transfer him from National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody to judicial custody. His detention has been extended five times by the NIA Special Court in New Delhi under draconian law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

“We reiterate our serious concerns about the amendment of the applicable legislation which allows the designation of any individual as a ‘terrorist?, bypassing the requirement to establish membership or association with banned groups, and its application as a means of coercion against civil society, the media, and human rights defenders in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir,” the experts said. They once again called for initiation of a process of independent review of the legislation not only to engage international best practice in relation to the use of counter-terrorism law, but also to bring the law in line with India’s obligations under international human rights law. “Mr. Parvez’s case of arrest, prolonged detention under the UAPA has a chilling effect on civil society, human rights defenders and journalists,” the experts said.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP